The Years Before the Magic
by DreamInTheNight
Summary: What *exactly* did poor little Harry go through before his rescue from Rubeus Hagrid? This accounts why he was kept, how Vernon and Petunia *really* felt about him, and how he himself dealt with it all, and how he escaped the pain of living with the unbearable Dursleys.
1. How it All Started

**Hello all reading my story! Thank you for reading my story! I appreciate it, very much so! This is my first fanfiction, so please, be kind. It took me a while to get this right, and I'm rather proud of it. **  
**I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER (sadly) IT BELONGS TO OUR QUEEN AND HER HELPERS.**

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It is a normal morning on Privet Drive, nothing different, everything exactly the same- except a bundle of blankets on the steps of number four.

A sharp cry sends the nearby birds flying and neighbors' windows to swing open. The door to the Duesleys House flies open, nearly hitting poor baby Harry. Out steps Mr. Dursley, briefcase in one hand, car keys in the other. He nearly choked on his half- chewed doughnut when he saw the little thing on the steps.

Completely bewildered, he bends sown to look between the folds to find a set of green eyes staring up at him.

Without thinking, he ran inside and dragged his wife outside, who was in the process of feeding their beach ball-sized son.

_"Don't ask- come- out on the front steps- a CHILD!" _He finally said, bugged-eyed and heaving. Petunia no longer questioned it- something was out of the ordinary.

When they stepped outside, Vernon pointed at the child, than headed for his car- he was already late.

When he turned off the road, Petunia lifted the sleeping child up, who squirmed a bit, but otherwise stayed asleep.

"Oh… what a little doll, you are!" Petunia cooed at the baby boy. She noticed the letter under his blanket and pulled it out.

She broke the seal with one hand, still holding Harry, and shook open the heavy yellow parchment. As she read, her eyes grew wider and wider.  
When she finished the letter, she looked down at the child, half between disgusted and in awe. Suddenly, a loud sob broke the peaceful silence surrounding them, and Petunia fell to her knees on the front steps, clutching the boy tightly. She stayed like that for a few minutes, Harry joining, be woken abruptly.

After a long while of crying with her nephew, Petunia stood on weak knees and stepped inside, not wanting the neighbors to see her this way (if they hadn't already).

She found that Dudley had thrown his mashed peas all over the room and all over himself. Setting Harry in Dudley's crib, she went and cleaned her boy's mess, and, for the first time, found fault in him.

After she settled him down for a nap in her and Vernon's bed, she went to check on her nephew, who had fallen back asleep.

Without thinking, she reached into the crib and pushed aside a bit of his hair to find a scabby cut on his forehead in the shape of a lightning bolt. She ran her finger along it gently so he wouldn't notice.

"Lily…" She said quietly, as if her sister could hear her through the baby. "Lily… I promise to keep your boy safe as possible. I swear I won't abandon him like I abandoned you… I swear, cross my heart." She marked an 'x' above her heart. Although Petunia was a grown woman, she still believed that promises should be kept, and that crossing your heart sworn yourself to your promise. She swore she would keep this baby alive with all her heart. The last piece of her sister left.


	2. Home'

***LE NOTE***  
**I do not own Harry potter. It belongs to our wonderful queen and warner brothers and such!**

**This is a bit crappy and I apologize, I'm a bit new at writing. I shall put the next chapter up as soon as possible! Sorry this one took so long, too.**

**PLEAsEPLEASEPLEASE REVIEW I WILL APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH SO  
**

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Although he was only a year old, and had only lived with the Dursley's a few days, Harry knew something had changed. And he also knew that his Mummy was missing, and he wanted her badly. He wanted her to sing him to sleep and for her to hug and kiss him and Daddy to make colours come out of the stick that he carried everywhere, and for Daddy to throw him in the air and catch him. He wanted the man that came a lot to change into a doggy and lick his face, for the big big man to talk funny words that Harry never understood and make funny faces. He knew it would never happen again, though.

He fell asleep and dreamt of home.

_THREE YEARS LATER_

"Zoo! Zoo! Zoo!" Dudley screamed and giggled as he marched in the living room with his stuffed giraffe in hand, waiting for his parents to finish getting ready.

"Can I come?" Harry asked Dudley hopefully. Although Harry was only four, he could speak full sentences, whereas Dudley, older than him, still only spoke babble and was rarely understandable.

Dudley screwed up his face and said "No! No no no! You no come! You _freak_!" He than continued marching and screaming his little chant.

"Ready to go, my little Diddyums?" Petunia said, picking up her nearly 100 pound son.

"You, boy, are heading to Mrs. Figgs, correct?" Vernon asked Harry quietly, grabbing his arm and throwing him in his cupboard, Harry hitting his head on the ceiling. "Grab your knapsack and _let's go_!" He screamed in Harry's face, spitting all over his glasses.

Harry, rubbing an egg sized lump on his head, grabbed his knapsack and ran out of his cupboard.

"Auntie, when I go home?" Harry said. He still remembered his mum and dad, just barely, and he knew it's better with them than here, where he gets whipped and thrown and yelled at for just about anything.

"You'll be home when we get back from the zoo, of course, you're not staying with Mrs. Figg forever," She answered, not understanding what Harry meant. Harry, thinking she meant he was going back with his parents, couldn't have been happier.

* * *

Harry was in Mrs. Figgs garden, setting up a war. He plucked a few different rocks from the coy pond and picking as many rocks that would fit in his tiny palms.

He set up his old, metal men, splitting them, readying them for their fight. He learned a lot about war from sneaking glances at the tv when Uncle Vernon was watching things, like news, movies, or documentaries, but they almost always mentioned war or fighting, so he knew it was a common thing, and decided people must like it if it was always on the tele.

He was laying on his tummy under a bush, setting up his teams. He than set the rocks in a line between them- a row of weapons. He didn't know _that_ much about war, so he made some things up as he went. When the canon (a piece of expertly bent bark leaning on a rock) went off, everyone ran and grabbed a weapon, than the fight started.

"Boooooooom!" He yelled, pushing a pebble over the ramp of bark. He took hold of a few toys, them running and grabbing a weapon. He imagined them running- _it would be raining_, he thought. _They would be running in the mud, slipping and sliding, grabbing guns or bows and arrows. Some just went straight to killing, grabbing another by the throat. _He giggled to himself at the thought of them slipping. _Some of them will have magic, and throw fireballs and shoot water from their hands. They don't need weapons for that._

He continued his game until the moon was well up, until Mrs. Figg came out and held him, him siting on her arm. "Harry, your Aunt and Uncle are here, gather your toys and scadoodle!" She said. He smiled. He loved it when she said funny words like that.

He scooped up the men and threw them in his knapsack, than ran to the car. "Bye, Mrs. Figg! See you!" He yelled behind him, waving his arm high above his head.

Suddenly, he gasped in excitement. _My home! I'm going home! Auntie said so this morning! I get to see mummy and daddy again!_ He was bouncing in joy, his seatbelt nearly choking him.

Harry was rather confused when they pulled up in the dursleys' driveway. "Auntie, I thought I was going home?" He said, very disappointed.

"What are you talking about? You are home." She said, as if he was being stupid on purpose. Harry forgot how she hated questions. He suddenly understood what she meant.

"This is my home?" He asked her. She just looked at him and undid the belt and lifted him out of the car.

"You're getting too big! I can barely lift you!" She yelled at him, while she lifted Dudley into her arms. Harry didn't hear any of this; he just thought _I'm home… This is my 'home' now…_ He than started crying, realizing he's never going home. He will live with the Dursley's forever and never be loved. He wanted his mummy.

* * *

He dreamt that night of the last time he saw his mummy- he saw that strange man, than he aimed his stick at mummy, a flash of green light, and mummy fell down. Than, the man came towards him. He was hideous, he reminded Harry of a snake.

Harry looked over the edge of the crib at mummy. He called for her, but she stayed there, unmoving. He than cried, because whenever he did mummy would come back. The man looked at him in disgust, which made Harry cry harder. He wanted mummy or daddy to make this man leave, he scared Harry. The man than aimed the stick at Harry, and the tip glowed green. Harry felt a terrible pain on his forehead. He than woke up.


	3. Harry's Chores

**Okay! I just wrote this, and it's two in the morning, so I apologize for any mistakes. Please review! And thanks to the 2 people who added this to your story alert list! I really appreciate it :D**

**I OWN NOTHING.**

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"Harry! Get up!" Vernon yelled, slamming on the cupboard door, causing spiders to fall from the ceiling onto Harry. He got up and threw on his oversized clothing and trudged out.

"What's today?" Harry asked his Aunt when he reached the kitchen.

"July Thirty-first- your fifth birthday," She said without even glancing at him or wishing him a happy birthday. Harry was used to this behaviour from his aunt, of course. They never wished him a happy birthday, and only ever gave him a bit of change they had in their pockets, even though he never had a chance to spend it, as they never took him to the store with them.

"Boy, you start chores today," Uncle Vernon said.

"What are chores?" Harry asked him, confused. He had no clue as to what they were, and he was a bit worried they were a new punishment his Uncle made up just for him.

"They are things you have to do around the house as payment for us feeding you and clothing you!" His uncle said, his large, purple face so close to Harry's that his mustache tickled his nose and specks of spit flew onto his glasses.

"Does Dudley have chores, too?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

"Why would he? He's a good child, who listens to us and isn't a little _freak_ like you," He screamed, getting even closer to Harry's face, practically kissing him.

"But… But why doesn't Dudley have to do any? He eats your food, too! He eats most of your food! I barely eat anything! I only ever eat your scraps and what Dudley _doesn't _eat, which isn't much!" Harry yells at his Uncle.

He realizes he's gone too far and runs for his cupboard, but his Uncle grabs him by the collar of his shirt, lifts him up, and slaps him across the mouth. Harry can taste blood and a pain erupts in his mouth.  
"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!" Vernon screams. He throws Harry onto a chair, pulls off his belt, and begins whipping him. Harry screams, praying his Auntie will save him.

His glasses fall to the floor. He is holding his hands above his head so he doesn't get hit in the face. He can hear Dudley chuckling behind him. He hated him more than anything.

When Vernon finally put the belt back around his waist and begins his breakfast, Harry is bruised and bleeding in many places, but is too terrified to move. He is shaking, sobbing. He will not move, because that makes his Uncle even madder, and usually means the cupboard for a week or so. So he sat and waited, waited for him to finish eating and head to work.

When uncle Vernon rose from his chair, he couldn't help but flinch. Vernon saw this and decided to slap him upside the head. When he left the room, Harry ran to his cupboard, counting his slashes and bruises, muttering all swears he knew aimed at his Uncle and cousin and Aunt.

After a while, his aunt came under the stairs with him, wiping his blood and bandaging him. She did it all with a stone expression, showing no emotion whatsoever. She stood and left when she finished, slamming the cupboard door.

While his aunt was cooking dinner, Harry stepped out of his cupboard and went to help. She sometimes lets him help when he's had a horrible day.

Harry looks up at her, trying to figure her out. _Sometimes it seems like she cares about me, even loves me, but others, it's like I'm some gross spider she found on the counter and wants to squish it, but too scared to…_

"Auntie, do you love me?" He says after a moment of wondering, without realizing he asked her at all.

She tensed up a bit. "Don't. Ask. _Questions_." She whispered through clenched teeth. Harry took a step back; worried she'll bring that spatula down across his face. "Why do you ask?" She says, pouring a bit of this and a drop of that into the pan. Harry explains his thoughts to her. She looked down at him, sadness in her eyes.

"Harry… I do love you," She says, as if she only just decided this. Harry didn't really believe her.

"Why can't I go home?" He asked her, picturing the bits and scraps of what he remembered of his mum. "Why can't I go back with Mum?"  
That seemed to hit her hard, because she froze, looking him in the eyes. She shook her head sharply, than answered, "Your mum is dead. Your dad, too. They died in a car crash, that's how you got that disgusting scar," she gestured to his forehead. He decided that was all he needed to know, than helped her finish the curry.

When Vernon got home and finished eating, he called Harry into the dining room, who marched in. He shoes became suddenly very interesting.

"Boy, tonight, your aunt gives you another haircut, than you do your chores, which includes cleaning the bathrooms, mopping the kitchen, and washing and drying the dishes." Harry nodded and sat, waiting for Auntie to come with the scissors.

After she cuts his hair, he heads upstairs to the master bathroom, carrying a bucket of cleaning solution and a scrub brush. He gets on his hands and knees, scrubbing and scrubbing until his elbows ache, than heads to the downstairs bathroom.

After all the bathroom floors are clean enough to eat off of, he heads to mop the floor, which takes and hour, considering how small he is and how large the room is. And finally, he washed and dried the dishes, waking up wish his head under water twice.

When he finishes, he is happy to lie down. He's asleep before his head hits the pillow.


	4. School!

**This took a while, but I got it done! Hope you like! Please review! PleasePleasePlease! And thanks to those who have added it to their alerts and favorites! i didn't imagine this to get so much love! **

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Harry was in the greenhouse, watering and re-potting the many plants, just as his uncle instructed. But there was a problem.

He was covered in fertilizer- the bag had somehow torn down the middle when he became frustrated he couldn't carry it across where his uncle wanted it. He now was trying to get it all back in the bag, pressing the torn edges together, feebly hoping they'll somehow join together again, but he knew they wouldn't. He searched for something big enough to hold all the dirt, but found nothing but small flowerpots, unable to hold even a tenth of the mess. He was sure to have a whipping tonight, and at least a month in his cupboard.

He sat by the pile, leaning against a huge pot holding a large bush with lovely red and yellow marigolds. He would cry, if he hadn't sweated all his tears dry. He was very tired and very thirsty. The last drink he had was a small sip he snuck from the bathroom faucet, early this morning, but it was dark outside now. Close to eight o'clock at night, and it was still eighty degrees out.

Harry tried to get to his feet, but his body seemed to weigh heavier than usual, like he was made of rock, but if his uncle found him out here dozing, he would _kill_ him.

He rose and started walking toward the door. By the time he made it outside, the room was spinning around him, and he had fallen flat twice, his glasses snapping.

He blinked, and found himself on the ground. Sitting up, he thought, _I was heading in the house, and was dizzy. I made it outside, and now… I'm on the ground? Did I fall? Pass out? _He had no idea what happened, and it worried him that he didn't. He ran to the house.

Harry woke the next morning, sore and sleepy. His uncle had whipped him with his belt and made him go outside and clean up all the dirt and throw it in a garbage bag. He was out well into the night.

The cuts in his back stung, and he was positive they were, or soon will be, infected, because he was only allowed showers on Sundays, and it was Tuesday.

He went to the kitchen and pulled out the cleaning material from beneath the sink. His hands were red and raw from the chemicals and weeding he did every Wednesday for his aunt.

Today he had laundry, dusting, dishes, and cleaning Dudley's toy room.

He went to the laundry room and did as usual, pouring the soap and starting the machine, and he dare not mix the colours and whites. He learned that one red sock equals pink underwear and a week in his cupboard (besides chores, of course).

While the machine ran, he dusted the living room and kitchen. He made sure to get in every crevasse, no matter how small. He checked everything twice, making sure he got _all_ the dust.

He than went and finished the clothes, putting them on their owners beds. He was very careful not to get any dirt from his arms on them.

He finished his chores all before his uncle got back from work, Dudley's toy room taking the longest.

Vernon sat at the kitchen table while Petunia set dinner in front of him. While they ate, he said, "So, is Dudley starting school this year?"

Harry looked at Dudley, who screwed up his face. "No!" He screamed. Flecks of food flew everywhere, and Harry sensed a tantrum.

"Duddy, you have to," Petunia told him nicely, trying to calm him. He was, after all, six years old, while most start at five.

"Auntie, can I go, too?" Harry asked. He's always wanted to go to school so he would have time away from 'home' and maybe even make friends.

"_You?_ You're not smart enough to go to school! Besides, you have too many chores," Vernon said.

"Dear…" Petunia pointed at Vernon's plate. He had been cutting his meat, but it was already cut now just grinding on the plate. He set down his utensils and gave Harry a terrible look, as if it was his fault.

"Please? I'll do extra chores after I get back, and I won't complain one bit. I won't be a little freak, I swear! I'll keep my mouth shut and do just as told, I won't talk to anybody else or anything!" Harry exclaimed. He didn't _want _to go to school- he _needed_ to.

Vernon glanced at Petunia, who glanced back. They seemed to have a conversation through their eyes.

"Well, I suppose so… _But,_" Vernon said, "If you put even one _toe_ out of line, it's an extra long whipping and _no food!_" He warned, waving a very large, beefy finger in Harry's face. Harry didn't care- _he was going to school!_


	5. Harry's first day!

Harry checked off the last day before his first day of school. His aunt had taken Dudley shopping for school supplies and bought Harry a plain blue knapsack, a new pair of shoes (his old ones had so many holes you could practically see his feet through them, and Dudley's shoes were like clown shoes on his tiny feet), and a set of composition books and number two pencils.

He was so excited for school that he asked his aunt, while offering more chores, to make him a small calendar on his notebook paper. She made it hastily and barked for him to clean the dishes.

Harry laid back down and stared at the ceiling, watching a spider form a web. He was positive school would make life better. He was depending on it.

/

"Come, come! You're going to be late!" Petunia screeched, rapping on the cupboard door. Harry was already up, dressed, his bag full. He stepped right out.

"Comb your hair!" Vernon barked behind his newspaper, not bothering to look. Harry had tried to tame the mess of hair, but it wouldn't go down for anything.

"Harry, make the bacon! And don't you _dare _burn it on Dudley's first day!" Petunia hissed at him, throwing the frozen meat on the oven.

When Dudley came down for breakfast, everyone stared at him.

He was clad in a bright yellow tee shirt, yellow shorts, and yellow light up sneakers. He reminded Harry of a walking bell pepper. A strange noise came from both Petunia and Harry- Harry trying not to laugh and Petunia bawling her eyes out.

"Oh my little baby! You look so adorable! My little man is growing up!" She screamed, wrapping her arms around him. Harry very nearly burned himself because of the tears in his eyes and him shaking with laughter.

It was an exceptional morning- Harry wasn't barked at much, he was allowed a few strips of bacon and half an egg, and he didn't have to do his chores until after school.

They stepped outside to wait for the bus. It was a beautiful morning. Harry sat on the front steps, but Dudley shoved him off and sat there instead. Harry scraped his knee on the concrete walkway. He glared at Dudley and wiped the blood with he oversized sleeve.

When he stood back up, he heard a puff and the bus pulled up to the curb and the doors swung open. Harry went to step up, but Dudley ran and shoved him over and jumped up himself.

When Harry got on, he was greeted with about thirty other children of all sizes. Almost every seat was taken.

When he walked to the back for an empty seat, some boy, around ten, stuck out his beefy leg. Harry didn't have enough reaction time, and fell, his hands out catching him. His glasses fell off. Everybody started laughing at him. He got back up and hastily went to the very last seat, by himself.

/

Harry sat comfortably at the last table at the back of the room. He was happy he had the table all to himself; he didn't want to have to talk to anyone else.

"Can I sit with you?" A little girl stood in front of him. He didn't want her to, but he didn't want to be rude, either.

He nodded his head and looked back down at his drawing. She leaned over and looked at the paper, saying, "Whatcha' drawing?"

He looked her in the eyes and said, "A magic man. He can make fire from his hands."

"Like wizards?" She asked him. Harry was amazed. He wasn't allowed to talk of magic, and thought that nobody liked it, just like his Uncle Vernon.

"You're allowed to talk about magic?" He asked her in awe.

"Of course!" She threw her arms up dramatically. "Magic is amazing! You can do anything with magic. My mum reads books about magic to me every night. I wanna read so I can read them by myself. My brother says magic isn't real, but I don't believe him."

"You don't get yelled at for talking 'bout it?" Harry asked her; a bit worried they'll get in trouble.

"No… Some people gets mad when I say anything 'bout it. They say I'm too old to believes it."

"Well, what do wizards do?" Harry asked. He wanted to know what his wizard could do.

"Well, they can make fire or water with their hands. They can also turn people into frogs or toads! … Wait, no. That's witches. Well, they can time travel and read minds. Some stories are different, but he can do anything you want him to do," She said to him. He was beginning to like this girl.

"What's your name?" He asked her after adding a few lines to the fire.

"Christina. What's yours?"

"Harry."

"Pleased to meet you," She said with a smile. She than sat next to him and drew a picture.

/

**Hope you guys like it! Sorry it took so long to get up, but I've been busy.**

**I OWN NOTHING.**

** REVIEW! IT WILL MEAN SO MUCH TO ME IFYOU DO! **


	6. Harry Hunting

About a month had gone by. Harry and Christina had become very good friends since. They sat together whenever possible, shared their lunch, and played during free time.

Harry and Dudley arrived to school late that morning because Dudley had a tantrum because Harry cooked his bacon too crispy and his eggs weren't scrambled enough. Harry got a good whipping by Vernon, who than furiously drove them to school.

When Harry walked into the room, all he saw at first was blonde hair- Christina had ran up and wrapped her arms around his neck, and she was crying a bit. It stung- she hit the spot that was most sore.

"I-I thought you w-weren't comi-ing!" She hiccoughed.

"I-I'm sorry, Chrissy," He said after she let him go.

"W-why were you late?" She asked after stepping back. It seemed like morning free time was still going, so they had a few minutes.

"Oh… I… I was bad," Harry said sheepishly.

"What did you do?" She asked, curious.

"Well… It's nothing…" He mumbled. He tried sitting back in his seat, but the back of the chair pressed painfully to the slashes.

"Are you okay, Harry?" She asked, extremely worried her friend was hurt. Harry just nodded, hoping she would change the subject.

"Well, okay… Oh, Harry! My Mummy got me a new book!" she pulled out a new fantasy book from her bag and showed him it. She told him about all the different stories until their teacher rang the tiny bell, signaling morning classes.

"D'you wanna play tag?" Christina asked Harry during recess. He nodded.  
"Not it!" He yelled, running off to the grassy field.

"Hey! No fair!" Chrissy ran after him, giggling. Although he was faster than her, he always let her tag him.

She reached him and gave him a slap on the back, yelling, "You're it!" And she ran, calling behind her, "Can't catch me! Can't catch me!" until she turned to find her friend on the ground.

"Harry! Harry, are you all right?" She ran back over and crouched in front of him. He was crying a bit, shaking.

"Yeah, I'm fine," He mumbled, staring at the ground.

"Harry… why are you crying?" She asked him kindly.

"N-nothing…" He said. He began to cry harder.

"Harry, tell me!" She was getting quite frustrated now- she wanted to know what was wrong with her friend!

He just sat for aq moment, deciding whether or not he should tell her. He finally thought it was okay, as long as nobody else found out. "Can you keep a secret?" He asked her. She nodded, her pigtails bouncing.

"Well… my Uncle Vernon whipped me this morning, because I was bad and didn't cook breakfast correctly. He gave me a whipping and you hit it." He than turned and lifted hi shirt a bit, showing a bit of blood trickling down his lower back, swiping it with his oversized shirt.

"Harry!" She cried. "Harry, you have to go to the nurse!" He turned quickly and shook his head.

"No! You can't tell anyone! They'll punish me again for telling! Please Chrissy!" Harry began crying again. If anyone else found out what his uncle did to him there would surely be trouble.

"But Harry you're hurt!" She said dramatically.

"Please! You have to swear you won't tell, cross your heart," Harry marked an 'x' over her heart. Reluctantly, she nodded, doing the same. Harry sighed, very relieved.

"Tag, you're it!" He yelled, slapping her shoulder. He than ran off at full speed. He was glad he had a friend.

* * *

"Harry, turn on the oven- Dudley's friends will be here soon and I want dinner on time!" Petunia snapped, wiping off the countertops while glaring at Harry over the sparkling granite.

Sure enough, the doorbell rang. Petunia shrieked and threw her towel at Harry, running to get the door. Harry turned on the oven, threw the towel in the wash bin, and went to his cupboard to finish his homework. Since Dudley's friends were here, he was allowed to skip his chores and stay in his cupboard until time came for him to set the table and place the food.

He took out his notebook while Dudley and four of his friends pounded up the stairs, causing dust and spiders to fall on his head. It was going to be a long night for Harry.

* * *

After everyone ate, Harry cleared the table, washed the dishes, and was allowed a glass of water with a cheese sandwich Petunia made. "Now, back to your cupboard!" She huffed after he downed the glass. He ran back and finished his food.

About half an hour after he ate, Harry's cupboard door swung open and there stood Dudley and his friends.

"Hey, freak, come out here!" Dudley yelled, grabbing Harry by the hair and dragging him out. All of his friends snickered.

"We wanna play a new game!" Dudley said, hoisting up his large trousers. "It's called _Harry Hunting_! We give you a ten second head start, and than we come hunting for you! Sound fun?" Dudley seemed rather proud of his idea. Harry, knowing what was coming next, ran into his cupboard and slammed the door in them, trying to hold it shut. Dudley didn't lie that at all.

"Mummy!" He fake sobbed, hugging his Mum's legs. "Mummy! H-harry doesn't want t-to play with us! We asked h-him nicely!"

Petunia glared through the grid on his door and said, "You will come out, _now_!" She opened the door and pulled him out roughly.

After she left the room, Harry ran out of the back door before the others had a chance to figure out what had just happened. He hurtled over the garden bench and hid in the large hedge, making sure they wouldn't see him. He had played similar 'games' with Dudley, and they usually ended with extra chores or long periods in his cupboard.

"Hey! Where'd he go?" They all yelled, running out. They looked around but couldn't find him.

"He probably went this way!" Pierre Polkiss said, pointing to the gap between the houses that led to the front yard. When he was positive they were gone, Harry quietly made his way back into the house and to his cupboard, where he practiced his reading quietly.

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**So sorry it took so long to get up! I've been quite busy with summer school and such, but I'll try and update regularly from now on! I may become very inactive next month, though- I'm doing camp NaNoWriMo and have a lot of Summer School work to do, but I'll try my best! Please please please review!**

**Nothing belongs to me, except my OC's! **


	7. AUTHORS NOTE

***AUTHORS NOTE***

**Hi all! It's DreamInTheNgiht here! I won't be updating anytime soon, and I'm so sorry! We got a new puppy, named Buster, and he chewed my laptop wire. The battery to my laptop doesn't work, so it HAS to be plugged in to work, so I can't go on it for a while. I'm on our Mac, but I don't put my writing on it, because my dad likes to delete anything he doesn't recognize, including writing documents. This will also suck because I have camp nanowrimo starting August first and I have the beginning saved on there. :/ Well, I'll try and get a wire and battery soon! I'm so sorry for the inconvenience! Please, don't unfollow my stories! Please! I'm really really sorry : ( **


	8. I'm not dead!

HELLO WONDERFUL FOLLOWERS!  
First off-  
I am SO SO SO _SO_ dory for my absence! I've been trying to get my laptop battery and wire but _still_ didn't get it, so I figured I'd just continue it on the computer. I know I could've done that in the first place but I don't like saving my writing on the computer because my dad tends to snoop in my stuff and read all of my writing. I don't know why but I hate it. And he also tends to delete random things if the title seems like something useless like "names" or something. So I'm just gonna save them on my USB- thingy (its late and I can't remember what its called).

Second off-

I'm using one of my fanfictions [_The Years Before the Magic_] for NaNoWriMo (If you don't know, its this sort of event in November- National November Writing Month- you write for the entire month of November and try to reach 50,000 words by the end) so I may not update any of my other fanfictions as often, but I _will_ try. Although you've seen my issues with commitments and such. I didn't even reach the 1.000 word mark for Camp NaNoWriMo. **Sigh** I'll try my best, guys!

Last-

Thank you all _so so_ much for following and my stories! You've no idea how much it really means to me. I'm so glad you all like my stories- even the really crappy ones. I'm so happy other people like my writing. I love you all 3


	9. (chapter 7) Harry Has a Friend!

"Harry! Its show and tell!" Chrissy yelled. She was clutching a large book to her chest. It was surprising she could even hold it. "What did you bring?"  
"My soldiers," Harry said quietly. It took about an hour to convince his uncle to let him bring them. Harry had to offer a week in the cupboard and extra chores.  
"_Ohhhh_, can we play with them?" Chrissy asked excitedly. Harry had brought them plenty of other times for recess and taught her what he knew of war while she taught him more of magic.  
As he went to say 'sure!' the bell rang signaling show and tell. He and Chrissy sat next to each other on the circle mat.

"Okay, kids! Ready for show and tell? Good! Okay, lets pull a name out of the name hat!" She reached into a large circus hat and called, "Harry!"

He got up and ran to the front of the room and pulled out a silver man. "This is a bag of my war mans! They go into big fights against each other. I have a bunch of them in this bag. My Auntie gave them to me when I was littler." Harry wasn't sure what else he should say.  
"Does anybody want to ask Harry anything about his army men?" The teacher asked. Jonathan raised his hand.

"They're _stupid. _Show us something funner!" He said, making a face. Harry lowered the man back into the bag and sat back beside his friend.

"Jonathan! That's not nice. You go last for show and tell now." Jonathan made a noise similar to a pig snort and crossed his arms across his chest.  
"_Stupid Harry! Stupid Harry! Stupid Harry!_" He screamed. The teacher brought him to the timeout chair in the back of the room and continued.

When Christina's name was pulled, she bounced happily to the middle of the circle and said, "This is my storybook! It has all of my favorite stories like _Cinderella, Princess and the Pea, Rapunzel, _and _Jack and the Beanstalk_! My mommy reads me them every night. Some day I'm gonna do magic like the people in my book! My mommy said if I believe in myself I can do anything, so if I believe I can do magic someday I'll do magic!" Her cheeks were bright red and her eyes were distant, imagining what it would be like. Harry smiled. He loved when Chrissy talked about magic, because it made her so happy.

A girl, Kaitlin, raised her hand. "Magic isn't real. My daddy said so." Chrissy frowned.  
"Well, my daddy and mommy says it is, and they're _always_ right," She said indignantly.

At recess, Harry and Chrissy played with his army men on the side of the courtyard under a bush.

"This man can shoot fire!" He made a _whoosh_ noise and knocked over a few of Chrissy's men with a bright red leaf he used as fire.

"Well he can shoot water!" She said, making a splashing noise while lifting up the men Harry knocked over.

Harry was about to shoot more fire when a large foot came down on his men, shoving them in the dirt. "Hey!" Harry yelled, looking up to see Dudley and Jonathan.

"These toys are _stupid!_" Jonathan said, grabbing a handful of the metal men and threw them across the grass.

"No!" Harry screamed, running to find and grab them. Chrissy grabbed the others and put them in their bag before the boys could throw those, too.

"Big fat meany stupid heads!" Chrissy yelled. She helped Harry find all of his men and they ran to play next to the teacher.

As everyone got ready to leave, pulling on his or her coats and hats, Chrissy screamed. Harry ran over right away. Her fairy tale book was open on the floor. Somebody had drawn over the pages and ripped and tore the book up. There were scribbles all over Rapunzel's hair and half of the Cinderella story was ripped out and crumpled.

"What happened? Are you okay?" The teacher asked, lowering herself to Chrissy's level. Chrissy just screamed louder and fell back onto her butt on the floor.

"My book! Stupid-face Dudley did it! He ruined my book and stories!" She yelled finally.

Dudley had a smug look on his face, then, when the teacher turned, he screwed up his face and said, "Did not! Nu-uh nu-uh_ Nu-uh!"_ And he fake cried.

"Did too! You're a big fat meany! I hate you!" She said.

"Did n-not!" Dudley wailed. "_You're_ a big fat stupid- face meany!"

The teacher looked bewildered. She had no idea how to calm them down, and the buses were waiting outside for them.

Eventually, everyone made it out to the buses except Harry, Dudley, and Chrissy. The teacher had called their guardians to come pick up Dudley and Chrissy up, and Harry had to stay with Dudley.

"Uncle Vernon is gonna punish me now for this…" Harry said angrily, sitting with Chrissy waiting for his Auntie.

"He can't do that," She said. She was still upset, but had calmed down a bit, occasionally sniffling. "You didn't do nothing wrong. It was all stupid- face!"

"He don't care…"

"That stinks," She said quietly.

"Yeah…" He said. "We're best friends, right?" He asked her suddenly.

"Of course we are!" She said dramatically, raising her arms above her head. He smiled.

"Good," he said, giving her a big hug.

He finally had a friend.


	10. (chapter eight) Magic?

Harry lay in his bed with a flashlight he sneaked, reading an old fairy tale book.

Chrissy had given him a lot of her books so he wouldn't have to be so bored at home. They had become very close. She knew all about Harry's life at home and had sworn not to tell anyone. She even sometimes gave him food when he was being punished.

He was reading an amazing story about a girl named Matilda whose parents ignored her. They didn't seem to care about her at all. She raised herself, and even taught herself how to read. He thought for a moment. He felt like Matilda (only he was a boy). His aunt and uncle ignored him and treated him like nothing, and reading seemed to be an amazing escape from his life.

Although he didn't understand a lot of it, Harry learned to love the stories he was given and the magic they held. He now had a secret obsession with magic. Sometimes he would pretend to be a wizard, and sometimes he would be a tiny elf, and sometimes, even, a merman. He drew pictures of wizards and witches and potions and spells, he drew out stories, he even carried a stick in his pocket all the time.

Suddenly someone slammed their fist on his cupboard door, startling him. He quickly threw the book underneath his mattress and opened the door to see his uncle's large face.

"Come. Time to clean the windows," He said, handing Harry the Windex and a rag. Harry nodded and ran to the upstairs bathroom.

As he wiped down the glass, he looked at his reflection. _Can I be a magical person?_ He asked himself. He hoped- prayed- that he was. That some day his uncle will go too far and suddenly turn into a toad, or Dudley take all of the bacon, leaving Harry with nothing to eat, or his aunt bark at him to do the weeding.

_I have to be magic. I can't live with the Dursley's the rest of my life._

As Harry walked in from watering the potted plants, he saw that his Cupboard door was open.

He ran over and saw Dudley inside with a pair of scissors he stole from school, cutting apart his favorite book. "No!" He yelled, snatching the shreds of what was left. Dudley laughed his pig- like laugh and walked out.

Harry stared at him and wished he could shoot flames. He slammed his door and shined the flashlight on the book.

But the book was fine.

There were no rips or tears, no missing pages. Harry looked on the floor where a pile of papers had ben just a moment ago. But now there was nothing.

"Really?" Chrissy asked in awe. Harry had told her the incident with his book.

"Yes! It's perfectly fine! Look!" He pulled out the book to show her, and her eyes grew wide. "It must have been magic!"

"Yeah… magic…" Harry said. He had thought of it, and weighed all possible explanations, and magic seemed to be the only possibility.

"Can you do more magic, Harry?" She asked him.

"I dunno… I've never tried doing magic before. It just… happened. I'll try," He said, staring at a chair, trying to lift it off the ground. Nothing happened.

"I wish I could do magic…" Chrissy said, sticking out her lower lip a bit.  
"Me too…" Harry said, dropping his crayons back into his bag, not wanting to draw anymore.

"_Fwoooooosh!_" Harry said as he played by himself below his bush. Chrissy had been sick the past few days and hadn't showed up.

"Hey stupid!" Jonathan said, standing over Harry. They hadn't left him alone since Chrissy hadn't been there to protect him. He stomped a foot on the little, metal men, breaking and bending them. He shoved them hard into the ground.

When he lifted his foot to see the damage he had done, Harry watching helplessly, a shiny silver soldier flew up and hit him in the face.

Jonathan screamed and Harry screamed. Neither of them knew what happened.

Jonathan ran to the teacher, crying. He had blood coming from between his fingers.

Harry was staring out the car window. Aunt Petunia had picked up him and Dudley from school early. She promised him no food for the weekend besides stale bread and swore up and down that if he did something like this again, he would be taken out of school and sent to a foster home.

Harry didn't care about any of this, of course. He knew aunty would never hurt him. He was more worried about Uncle. He would be whipped again, and he'd gone about a month without any punishments.  
He watched a strange man pass on the street. He wished he could go with him. As long as he didn't have to go home.


	11. I have resurrected! (Authors note)

I have resurrected! Again! I'm sorry I keep doing this… I feel horrible, and just because of it, I'm going to make sure I give each story extra-long chapters and lots of them! Because I'm also sick and have time to write!

I'm so utterly sorry for disappearing, though, after seeming like I was back from the dead. In short, I've been going through depression, and haven't wanted to do much, but that's no excuse, because this is a responsibility and I need to get my butt writing! Please forgive me? Please?

On another note, when summer comes (if it ever does. We've had so many damn snow days we'll be in school until school starts again) I'll get more time to write (hopefully.) As of now, I may not after Monday, because with School and this after school thing I have to go to daily, I'm gone from 6 A.M.. to 8 P.M. so I'm going to probably do short updates after this week until summer unless I get a good weekend of writing in or something. But I'm really sorry, guys!


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